What began as an ordinary afternoon helping his family clear their backyard nearly became a life-or-death emergency for a 7-year-old Illinois boy.

Rayden Vollrath was helping his father and stepmother clean up their property in Pike County when he came into contact with pokeweed, a toxic plant known for its distinctive purple berries.

Within a short time, Rayden’s face and arms began swelling. What initially appeared to be a simple reaction rapidly became far more serious.

The young boy went into anaphylactic shock and struggled to breathe, forcing his family to rush him to the hospital.

“It hurt. A lot. My chest was burning and I couldn’t breathe,” Rayden later recalled.

A Routine Chore Turns Terrifying
According to his mother, Danielle Carnicelli, Rayden had been pulling pokeweed from the property when material from the plant apparently got onto his hands.

“He went to scratch his face and then ended up having an allergic reaction and then progressed to anaphylactic shock,” she told WGEM.

His symptoms quickly intensified.

His face became dramatically swollen and red, while a painful burning sensation spread through his body. By the early morning hours, the family was watching their young son struggle through an ordeal they never imagined could come from a plant growing in their own backyard.

The situation became so severe that Rayden had to remain hospitalized for two days.

A Frightening Night in the Hospital
For his mother, the experience was traumatic.

As Rayden battled the swelling and pain, nurses worked through the night to help ease his symptoms. At around 3 a.m., staff were still trying to make him more comfortable as the pain kept him awake.

Only after arriving at the hospital did the family learn the full danger they were dealing with.

Rayden wasn’t simply experiencing an ordinary allergic reaction. He was allergic to a plant that is itself toxic.

Doctors eventually discharged him with an EpiPen and eight medications to help manage the aftermath of the reaction.

The Hidden Danger Growing in Backyards
Pokeweed may look harmless, especially when its colorful berries appear, but the plant can be dangerous.

According to the National Institutes of Health, all parts of pokeweed are toxic to humans, including its roots, leaves and stems.

The plant’s sap can also cause significant skin irritation and blistering. If eaten, pokeweed can cause serious poisoning and can be dangerous to both people and animals.

Rayden’s experience showed the family just how quickly exposure could turn into an emergency.

A plant growing only steps away from a family home had nearly cost a child his life.

“He’s a Spitfire”
After two frightening days in the hospital, Rayden finally returned home.

His mother described the ordeal as traumatic but said she was incredibly grateful for her son’s recovery.

“Rayden is a spit fire and with all glory to God himself for this recovery,” she wrote in a Facebook update.

Now, the family hopes Rayden’s frightening experience will serve as a warning to other parents.

Children often help with gardening and yard work without realizing that some of the plants around them can be dangerous. What looks like an ordinary weed may contain irritating or toxic substances — and a child touching the plant can then unknowingly transfer those substances to their face or eyes.

For the Vollrath family, the lesson came at an enormous emotional cost.

Rayden survived.

But what began as a simple family chore became a terrifying reminder that danger can sometimes be hiding in the most familiar places — even in your own backyard.

Course: NY Post